Near Field Communications Might Be Dead Already

For a long time, proponents have expected Google to make good on the promise of near field communications, or NFC, by transforming an Android device into a secure and highly useful digital wallet. Now, it looks as though the promise may go unfulfilled.

Multiple sources confirm that Osama Bedier, who led the Google Wallet team, has left the company to "pursue other opportunities." Usually, that's code-speak for "he found something better after realizing this job was going nowhere," says Tim Beyers of Motley Fool Rule Breakers and Motley Fool Supernova in the following interview with the Fool's Erin Miller.

Among the major carriers, only Sprint Nextel offers NFC payments via Google Wallet in a handful of its phones, Computerworld reports. Meanwhile, NXP Semiconductors , one of the leading NFC chipmakers, saw revenue inch up just 4% in 2012 and 9% over the trailing 12 months. The stock has traded about even with the S&P 500 year to date. Don't bet on seeing outsized returns till there's more clarity of the future of NFC, Tim says.

Do you agree? Please watch the video to get Tim's specific take, and then let us know whether you would buy, sell, or short NXP Semiconductors stock at current prices.

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